Whether it's an overabundance of space or a waning desire to do the upkeep on a large property, there are many reasons why people decide to downsize their...

When Jessica Foulston purchased her colourful bungalow in Old Strathcona, she knew she wanted to supplement her mortgage payments with rental income. But after living as a renter for many years, she also yearned for an unshared living space.

The solution came to her when she decided to rebuild her crumbling, one-car garage. She began exploring the option of topping its replacement with a modest garage suite.

Foulston admits to getting lucky zoning-wise because even though her first house is not on a corner lot - which is one of the city's requirements for building a garage suite in a mature neighbourhood - it is next to an apartment building. That building's high-density rating and corner location meant she could build a garage suite on her property.

She also discovered that she could apply for a $24,000 matching grant through the city's original Cornerstones Program. The multimillion dollar program ran from 2006 to 2011, to encourage the development of more low-cost, rental housing. But by the time she got her plans approved (which included an appeal on some variances), Cornerstones had exhausted its funds. Foulston heard that there might be more funding coming (Cornerstones II did start in 2012), but since Foulston couldn't get confirmation of the program going ahead, and the delay had already resulted in a $10,000 increase in her lumber costs, she decided to foot the entire $100,000 bill herself.

Foulston made decisions about features for the 420-square-foot suite based on the decade she spent renting after moving to the city in 2000 from Grande Prairie to complete her education. "I asked myself, 'If I were to live here, what would I have?'" says the 32-year-old social worker.

The result is a modern, airy and attractive one-bedroom suite.

The kitchen includes a white quartz island and countertops along with classic cream-coloured wooden and frosted glass cupboards. Other features include built-in, pricey but compact stainless steel appliances, and plenty of clever storage options.

"I spoil," says Foulston while caressing the expensive back of one of the white, leather and chrome stools surrounding the chandelier-lit island.

She says she "splurged, but also saved" throughout the process. She bought the suite's appliances on sale two years in advance and tolerated the inconvenience of storing them in her small home. She also took advantage of an Ikea kitchen sale, which allowed her to delay paying for the $5,000 kitchen for a year.

The suite's sense of spaciousness is enhanced by its vaulted ceiling and neutral palette. The flooring is a combination of wide-planked, high quality laminate and attractive ceramic tile that complements the kitchen's ivory-coloured cupboards and mosaic-tiled backsplash.

Foulston says she never used a bathtub when she was renting, so she opted to install only a spacious glass walk-in shower. The bathroom's espresso-coloured cupboards and shelving create a rich contrast to the suite's neutral tones.

After years of lugging dirty clothes to laundromats, she also chose to put her budget into an expensive, stacked and eco-friendly washer and dryer instead of a dishwasher. Upscale features, including highquality, Shaker-style doors for the bathroom and master bedroom, add simple stylish touches. Foulston wanted walk-in closets in the bedroom, but because the build was limited to 12 per cent of her lot's size, some plans had to shrink.

Foulston's challenges in building the garage suite included delays in construction, even though she'd hired a reputable homebuilding company. However, by living next to the construction site she was able to immediately catch errors - like the incorrect placement of some electrical outlets. Foulston also strived to keep her neighbours happy. After consulting with them, she flipped her floor plan to change the location of the master bedroom and the placement of some windows to preserve their privacy. In southwest Edmonton's Terwillegar Towne, Tim Sousa didn't have to worry about consulting neighbours before constructing a midblock garage suite at the home of his brother-in-law because such structures are a permitted usage under that community's bylaws.

The pair reduced costs by building the three-car garage and suite themselves. They maxed out on the square footage to create a condolike suite that is just less than 700 square feet. The building's design enhances the occupants' privacy because the building simply looks like a large garage.

Sousa, who is a construction project manager with experience as a residential builder, is also pleased with the suite's high-end esthetic. Notable items include nine-foot ceilings, real Canadian maple hardwood flooring and a spacious, fully equipped kitchen with space-saving features such as a built-in oven and slide-out pantry. In the living room, a wall-mounted gas fireplace adds warmth without taking up precious floor space. Other indulgences are a walk-in closet, a ceramic-tiled bathroom with a Grecian-style tub, and a balcony.

A lifetime Edmontonian, Sousa believes that this kind of infill opportunity is beneficial to the city in several ways besides providing attractive, low-cost housing. It's also reducing unsustainable urban sprawl and giving homeowners the option of owning a low-risk investment property, he says. Sousa crunched the numbers of this $100,000-build (which took advantage of the city's $24,000 Cornerstones II grant). In 25 years, he says, it will have generated $225,000 dollars in revenue for his brother-in-law, adding "this does not take into account what equity value this property will have."

Sousa hopes garage suites catch on, but realizes, "It's a big process. You have to curb people's mentality, I think, as far as growth and development. It's got to not only be easier; it's got to be affordable, trendy and those sorts of things."

edmontonjournal.com To see our photo galleries of both the Sousa and the Foulston garage suites go to edmontonjournal. com/homes

If you build

What is a garage suite? A dwelling located above, or attached to the side or rear of a detached garage, when the garage is an accessory to a single detached house. The suite has separate cooking, sleeping and bathroom facilities, and an entrance that's separate from the vehicle entrance.

Where are they allowed? Garage suites are discretionary uses in all city residential zones with a couple of exceptions, says Gail Hickmore of the city's development approvals department. Discretionary uses mean the suite may be approved or refused by a city development officer. Once the suite is approved, notices are sent to property owners within 60 metres. They can appeal wto the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board.

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